The Final Breath
by Fluff-is-awesome
Summary: CALEO ONE-SHOT! How I picture Leo coming back. I focus on the "final breath" part of the prophecy, but don't worry it has a happy ending! Miracles happen! But please read this one I'm so excited that I actually thought of it. I honestly think something like this might actually happen in the book.


**Oh my gods you guys I am a genius! Okay not really, but I totally feel like one after writing this! See what you think of it. This story was inspired by the few Caleo fics out there so far, and by some wonderful fanart. Anyway, when I hear "oath to keep with a final breath," I imagine the oath needing to be fulfilled before its too late. Before his final breath. So basically I was trying to figure out a way for it to be a final breath without him actually dying... So I kinda pulled a Disney trick and it's a little on the cheesy side, but what could you do. It came to me. All rights belong to Rick Riordan. Please please please review!**

Leo was drowning.

Or at least it felt like it. Gasping for air, he struggled to breath as chaos roared around him. Sounds of swords clanking and giants booming surrounded him. He heard someone speaking.

"He's hurt," the voice sounded scared. "Badly."

More voices answered, but he couldn't tell who they belonged to. Leo felt someone lift him off the ground. Pain shot through him and the sounds of the world began fading. _No!_ Leo screamed at himself.

"Calypso," he forced the sound out of his mouth. It was barely audible, but whoever was carrying him paused.

"What was that?" he heard the person ask.

Using all his energy, he opened his eyes and looked up at the person carrying him. Percy.

"Calypso," he forced himself to say again. "Sphere," he pleaded, hoping Percy would understand.

Leo felt his body get laid back on the ground; the clashing swords sounded distant. They must have moved away from the fighting.

Relief flooded over him as he felt the smooth round astrolabe wrap around his fingers. Using the little energy he had left, he carefully adjusted the wiring and placed the small crystal in the middle. The astrolabe began to whirl.

"Take me to her," he whispered to the sphere. And everything went black.

(page break)

Calypso laid down in her beautiful garden and stared up at the peaceful blue sky. What was one to do for eternity, really? She wondered to herself. Everything changes around you but you never change. Was it even worth it? Wouldn't life be so much more exciting as a mortal, when time is so limited? Sure mortals die eventually, but they make so much more of their time while they're alive.

Like so many times before, her mind wandered to the heroes she had encountered over the years. Usually she'd simply daydream about the what-ifs she could have had. This time though, she wondered just how a girl could fall in love so many times over.

Odysseus was kind to her, but thinking back, he was quite arrogant as well. What had made her fall in love with him again? She couldn't remember. He was good-looking, and very charming; that much she knew. He certainly cared for his men. Did he really care for her though? Or was she just a play toy for him to use before running home to his wife? That was certainly what it seemed like. He probably didn't even tell his beautiful Penelope about her. Calypso was just a pretty thing that helped expand his ego. Gods, how obnoxious!

As for Drake, he was a mysterious guy. He had a crazed look in his eyes that was very exhilarating, and Calypso was captivated by his intensity. He gave her giddy chills every time she saw him. He was somewhat creepy too though, now that she thought about it. She asked herself the same question: did he really care for her? He had a girl as well. She never doubted he would eventually leave. Calypso was more like an interesting new experience that he could add to his list of adventures.

It made her feel so insignificant, knowing that she was simply a temporary vacation from the real world for all these men. Even for Percy. Percy, who she had thought perhaps would be different, perhaps would save her from her island and love her as much as she had loved him. But no, he was just like the others. He already had a girl waiting for him. He had Annabeth. She was so lucky.

Then there was the latest. It pained her to think of Leo, with his sarcasm and humor. Leo, who was so lively, so fun. But she also knew that he was hurting. He knew what it meant to lose something, and he knew what it meant to be alone. Calypso could see it when she looked into his beautiful chocolate brown eyes that he understood her. When he looked at her, he saw a lonely girl who wanted a friend. Not a beautiful goddess; but a pretty, fifteen year old girl in need of company and love. That's all she wanted. That's all she wanted to be. Just a girl, living an ordinary life with a caring, ordinary boy. It warmed her soul to feel like there was someone else out there who was alone, who felt her pain, and maybe, just maybe, could heal her wounded heart.

She had tried so hard not to fall for him. She had stayed away from him as much as she could so she wouldn't get caught gazing into his deep, understanding eyes. Of course, it didn't work. He just seemed so _real_. He wasn't idealized. He was really just a guy. A fun, mischievous, beautiful, resourceful, creative, absolutely amazing guy. But an ordinary guy nonetheless. As much as she had dreamed of an ideal hero falling in love with her, Calypso realized that all she wanted was a genuine and ordinary guy. He didn't have to be buff and strong. Those kinds of men were always selfish and arrogant anyways.

Now she faced the question: did he really care about her? Gods she hoped so. She had never wanted anyone to return her love as much as Leo. Her love for him was so much deeper, so much more meaningful than the others. She didn't just care about him. She _needed_ him.

Calypso squeezed her eyes shut, holding back the tears. But he had left. Just like the others. Leo had gone to save the world, just like the others. Did that mean he didn't care for her any more than the others? How could that be? Maybe she had misread the whole thing. He was probably just being sympathetic. Patronizing, even.

But she couldn't accept that. She knew there was something more there, she could feel it.

Calypso's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a loud bang. It had come from the beach. Calypso groaned. Not another one! She didn't think her heart could handle another hero who she would fall helplessly in love with again. Not after the others. Not after Leo.

Despite her grumpiness, her instinctively caring heart lifted her off the ground and she made her way towards the beach.

Calypso began imagining what this hero would look like. She had started playing this game with herself over the years, coming up with different faces for the next perfect hero. It usually helped distract her from her loneliness. This time though, she only felt gloomy as she kept picturing a smiling, Latino guy with shaggy dark hair and chocolate brown eyes that could see into her soul...

Calypso stopped in her tracks and her heart jolted. There, lying on the beach with a round sphere in his arms, was the very shaggy haired Latino boy...

"Leo!" she screamed, tears flooding her vision. She ran towards him. He wasn't moving.

Terror rushed over her. He wasn't _moving_! Why wasn't he moving? She knelt by his body and stared anxiously at his ripped clothes and oil-covered face. He had scars all along his arms. Then she saw it. The large, bloody gash in his side.

"No," she whimpered. Had she not been punished enough? The one boy she had felt truly in love with, the one boy she couldn't live with out, was he...?

"No!" she yelled louder this time, more determined. "I will not let you get away with this Zeus!"

Tears running down her face, she carefully placed a shaking finger on his neck, feeling for a pulse. It was there, ever so faintly.

"Oh, thank gods!" she breathed, placing her lips on his forehead. There was still hope.

Calypso set to work, collecting materials for a potion. She cleaned and wrapped his wound, and began conjuring a complex healing potion. As she worked, she sang soft, sorrowful songs filled with all the love she felt for this wonderful boy. This beautiful, caring young man who came back. Her hero who had come back to her. She kept looking up at his face to make sure he was actually there, that he really had come back.

Suddenly, she stopped. Something was wrong. She checked his pulse again. Still there. She watched him closely, and then she realized what the problem was. His chest was still. _He wasn't breathing_.

Calypso cursed to herself. "Breathe!" she said aloud, pressing on his chest. "Come on Leo _breathe_!" she yelled desperately, shaking him by the shoulders. Tears clouded her vision again. Letting out a sob, she wrapped her arms around his cold neck and laid her head on his still chest.

"Please don't leave me," she whispered. She started singing again, a soft lullaby, as if she were putting him to sleep. As she sang, her hands moved along his bare chest up to his face, brushing his cheek. Her fingers tingled as she touched his warm lips. _Warm_, she thought suddenly. She looked up.

Leaning her head closer to his face, she closed her eyes. There, ever so slightly, she felt a light breath of warm air on her cheek, coming from his lips. It was the most beautiful thing she had every felt.

Calypso quickly unwrapped the bandage and carefully spread her healing potion on the wound. "Come on Leo," she said softly, "Just keep breathing."

She began singing again. As the potion settled into the wound, she suddenly heard him gasp for air. He was breathing hard, as if he has just come from underwater. Calypso let out a relieved laugh through her tears. He was alive. He was breathing and alive.

Still gasping, Leo opened his eyes; those beautiful, deep brown eyes that made Calypso's heart melt.

"Calypso," he said hoarsely. He looked up at her, realization washing over his face. "Calypso," he said again, this time more forcefully, in awe and disbelief. He tried to move but winced painfully.

"Shush, Leo don't move. You'll only make it worse," she said pushing him back down.

He stared at her again in wonder, and something else she couldn't place. Care? Compassion? Or was it... love?

"I'm not... dead... am I?" he asked, still breathing hard. He winced in pain again.

"No, Leo," she answered softly, "You're here with me on Ogygia. You came back."

"I came back," he repeated with a sigh, closing his eyes again. His breathing was coming more easily now. "I told you, I never break my promises." A small smile fell over his lips. Calypso smiled too, and held his face in her hands. He smiled wider. "First man to reach Ogygia twice," he said opening his eyes again. "Best accomplishment of my life."

Then Leo gave her the most drop-dead gorgeous smile that made his eyes glint with mischief and life. A smile that Calypso never thought she'd get to see again.

Her heart exploded with love for him. She laughed gleefully as she through her arms around his neck and pressed her lips against his. She knew she was on top of him, and was probably hurting him, but he didn't seem to either notice or care. His hand wrapped around her neck and pulled her closer to him.

Calypso didn't think this was possible. A boy, a real heroic boy, was kissing her. Really truly kissing her. It was not out of lust, but out of what could only be love. Love for the lonely, heartbroken girl who had been hurt too many times over.

She pulled away and looked at him. Even with oil and blood covering his face, he was absolutely beautiful. And he was here. On her island. Again.

"You came back," she said again, the thought finally sinking in. "You actually came back."

"Yeah I came back!" he laughed. His grin suddenly faded. "You really thought I wouldn't?"

"I..." Calypso paused. "I didn't know, Leo. No one ever has before. They all just forget about me, I guess," Calypso tried to shrug it off like it was nothing. Leo didn't buy it though.

Using what looked like all the strength he could muster, he propped himself on his elbows. He looked at her, all playfulness gone.

"Calypso," he said seriously, "There was no way I wasn't going to come back for you. I _had_ to come back. And do you know why?"

Calypso shook her head.

Leo studied her face as if he was trying to figure something out. Those deep, understanding eyes bore into her soul and she suddenly felt very exposed.

"I love you, Calypso."

She felt her heart stop. Her ears must have been deceiving her. There was no way those words just came out of this boy's mouth. But as she stared wide eyed at him, her breath caught in her throat. He had definitely said it, and he was serious. He really meant it.

Calypso tried to swallow but found that she couldn't. Tears weld up in her eyes, but even that did not fully express how she felt. It was too much at once.

"I love you too," she said finally finding her voice. "I- gods!" she threw herself at him again, unable to contain herself anymore. She kissed him with as much passion and love as she could give. "I love you so much," she said between kisses, "So, so much."

**Did you like it? Please tell me if it's good. It's my first Caleo fic. If you can't already tell I adore Leo and I don't care how scrawny and unimpressive he's described in the book. He's effing beautiful! I'm a newly converted fan to this ship so I was extra excited about it... Leave a review please!**


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